Improved washing-machine



- To all whom t may concern:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ABEL C. WHITTIEB, OF LAWRENCE, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVED WASHING-MACHINE.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 54,458, dated May 1, -1866.

Be it known that I, A. C. WHITTIER, of Lawrence, in the county of Essex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Machine for V-ashing Clothes; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation ofthe same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure l represents side view ot' machine when in operation. Fig. Zrepresents side view of machine when preparing to wash. Fig. 3 represents an end section. Fig. 4 represents an interior longitudinal view, showing levers, spring, and rods. Fig. 5 shows an interior section of base and rubbing-boards with the elevations and grooves. Fig. 6 shows the slotted arm e. Fig. 7 shows the upright B moved to adjust it to the tub. Fig. 8 shows the slot in the levers I.

In constructing my machine I first. prepare a base-board, A, the upper surface of which (as see Figs. 3 and 5) is grooved out`so as to leave a series of elevations longitudinally of the form ofthe segment of an Octagon.

At each end of this base-board A is an upright, B. These uprights B are each furnished with a slot, C, which is made to lit the sides of a tub, the stave of the tub occupying the slot C when the machine isin use, and is fastened to the tub by the screw D. One of these uprights B is attached firmly to the base-board A. The other is made to be moved to adjustit (the machine) to the different-sized tubs, which is done by a screw in the upper end of the upright B moving along in the slotted arm e. By loosening the screw in the upright B it may be moved along in the slot e at pleasure, and by turning the screw the machine will be fast, the slotted arm c being firmly attached to the base A by means of the uprightf.

The rubbingboard Gr is made in the same manner as the base-board A, the grooves and elevations of one to rub over the grooves and elevations of the other'.

At each end of the rubbing-board G is a spur or axle, H, which passes through each of the levers I, moving' up and down in a slot in the levers I, and serves to keep the rub loing-board in position as it rises up or moves downward. Thelevers Ieach move on an axle, J. Said levers are kept in position by the plate K and the roller or handle L, each of them being rmly attached to the levers I.

To the plate K are attached two levers, M, which meet each other at near the middle of the plate K. One of them is provided with a notch, the other made with ay point to lit into said notch. These levers serve to raise up or let down the rubbing-board. These levers M are fastened to the plate K by a screw passing through each as axles, and on which these levers move freely. At the ends of these levers M nearest the sides of the tub a rod, N, is attached, each of which passes down through the plate K, and is attached to the rubbingboard G.

Under the plate K, and fastened to it by its convex side, is an elliptical spring, O, each end of which rests and bears on the rubbingboard G and serves to press on the clothes when washing. The levers M and rods N are to raise up the rubbing-board Gr to put in clothes to wash and to take them out when washed.

Now, when the machine is to be used, it is fitted to the tub by loosening the screw in the slotted arm e, so that the slot C in the uprights B may each slip onto the staves of the tub. The uprights B are then secured to the tub by the screw D, and the screw in the slotted arm e is set down tight. Then take hold of the knobs P in the levers M and lift up until the levers M join each other in the notch. The rubbing-board G will then be raised up ready to receive the clothes to be washed, the tub is filled with water a little above the base A, and with one hand take hold of the roller or handle L, with the other hand feed the clothes into the machine. The levers M are then thrown out of the notch, and the rubbingboard is forced down onto the clothes by the spring O; then, by oscillating the levers I backward and forward on their axles J, carrying with them the rubbing-board, (by taking hold ot' the handle L,) the clothes are thus washed clean.

I claim- The combination of the slotted arm e, spur H, slot in lever I, levers M, rods N, and spring 0,'for the purpose herein set forth and described.

Lawrence, Massachusetts, March 24, 1866.

ABEL C. WHITTIER. lL.

Witnesses:

JAMES K. BARKER, ROBERT R. WHITTIER. 

